Home
+
Published : 19 Jun 2026, 12:38 PM
Police Headquarters has ordered all units across Bangladesh to take security precautions and remain vigilant before the founding anniversary of the Awami League, whose activities are currently banned.
An “urgent message” was sent out on Thursday to all metropolitan police commissioners and range deputy inspectors general ahead of the party's Jun 23 anniversary.
It asked forces to assess the party's likely activities, warning it may raise flags at offices and hold public processions with anniversary banners across districts.
This risks triggering clashes with activists of other political parties, particularly the National Citizen Party (NCP), as well as Students Against Discrimination, it said.
The dispatch also noted that any attempts by law enforcers to disrupt these events could draw public ire and aggression from the activists.
Police officers said the directive was issued as a precautionary measure based on reports from multiple intelligence agencies.
Confirming the receipt of the official communication on Friday, SN Md Nazrul Islam, additional commissioner (Crime and Operations) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said they are fully prepared.
"We are on alert," he said, adding that forces remained at the highest level of readiness, with security checkpoints and operations ongoing and set to continue.
According to him, police are also preparing for Ashura on the 10th of Muharram alongside the Jun 23 anniversary.
Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina fled to India on Aug 5, 2024 after being ousted in the July Uprising.
Ministers, senior leaders and influential MPs were arrested in the days that followed, along with some leaders of allied parties.
Most remaining senior figures have gone into hiding and dropped out of regular political activity.
The party has been banned from all activities pending trial of Hasina and its leaders on charges of crimes against humanity, including the killing of hundreds during the crackdown on the Uprising.
Sporadic flash processions by Awami League activists have since been reported across the country, including in Dhaka, with police making arrests from some of them.
